KEPLER’S LAW AND

EARTH SATELITES
About Kepler’s Law…
• Kepler's laws of planetary motion are three scientific laws
describing the motion of planets around the Sun
• published by Johannes Kepler between 1609 and 1619
• These improved the heliocentric theory of Nicolaus
Copernicus, replacing its circular orbits with epicycles with
elliptical trajectories, and explaining how planetary velocities
vary.
 The Law of Ellipses
• Kepler's first law - sometimes referred to as the law of ellipses
- explains that planets are orbiting the sun in a path described
as an ellipse.
• An ellipse is a special curve in which the sum of the distances
from every point on the curve to two other points is a
constant.
• The two other points (represented here by the tack locations)
are known as the foci of the ellipse. The closer together that
these points are, the more closely that the ellipse resembles
the shape of a circle.
• Kepler's first law is rather simple - all planets orbit the sun in a
path that resembles an ellipse, with the sun being located at
one of the foci of that ellipse.
 The Law of Equal Areas
• Kepler's second law - sometimes referred to as the
law of equal areas - describes the speed at which
any given planet will move while orbiting the sun.
• The speed at which any planet moves through
space is constantly changing. A planet moves
fastest when it is closest to the sun and slowest
when it is furthest from the sun.
• Yet, if an imaginary line were drawn from the
center of the planet to the center of the sun, that
line would sweep out the same area in equal
periods of time. For instance, if an imaginary line
were drawn from the earth to the sun, then the
area swept out by the line in every 31-day month
would be the same.
• As can be observed in the diagram, the areas
formed when the earth is closest to the sun
can be approximated as a wide but short
triangle; whereas the areas formed when the
earth is farthest from the sun can be
approximated as a narrow but long triangle.
• These areas are the same size.
• Since the base of these triangles are shortest
when the earth is farthest from the sun, the
earth would have to be moving more slowly in
order for this imaginary area to be the same
size as when the earth is closest to the sun.
• A planet moves slower when it is farther from the Sun because its
angular momentum does not change.
• For a circular orbit, the angular momentum is equal to the [mass of
the planet (m) x the distance of the planet from the Sun (d) x the
velocity of the planet (v)].
• Since [m v d] does not change, when a planet is close to the Sun, d
becomes smaller as v becomes larger. When a planet is far from the
Sun, d becomes larger as v becomes smaller.
 The Law of Harmonies
•  Kepler's third law - sometimes referred to as the
law of harmonies - compares the orbital period
and radius of orbit of a planet to those of other
planets.
• Unlike Kepler's first and second laws that describe
the motion characteristics of a single planet, the
third law makes a comparison between the
motion characteristics of different planets.
• The comparison being made is that the ratio of
the squares of the periods to the cubes of their
average distances from the sun is the same for
every one of the planets.  
Note that Kepler’s third law is valid only for comparing
satellites of the same parent body, because only then does
the mass of the parent body M cancel.
•  Additionally, the same law that describes the ratio for the planets'
orbits about the sun also accurately describes the ratio for any
satellite (whether a moon or a man-made satellite) about any planet.
QUESTIONS
 Circular Motion
Principles for
Satellites
A satellite is any object that is orbiting the earth, sun or other massive
body. Satellites can be categorized as natural satellites or man-made
satellites. The moon, the planets and comets are examples of natural
satellites. Accompanying the orbit of natural satellites are a host of
satellites launched from earth for purposes of communication, scientific
research, weather forecasting, intelligence, etc. Whether a moon, a planet,
or some man-made satellite, every satellite's motion is governed by the
same physics principles and described by the same mathematical
equations.
 A SATELLITE IS A PROJECTILE
• The fundamental principle to be understood concerning
satellites is that a satellite is a projectile. That is to say, a
satellite is an object upon which the only force is gravity. 
• Once launched into orbit, the only force governing the
motion of a satellite is the force of gravity.
• if the launch speed was too small, it would eventually fall
to earth. The diagram at the right resembles that found in
Newton's original writings. Paths A and B illustrate the path
of a projectile with insufficient launch speed for orbital
motion.
• But if launched with sufficient speed, the projectile would
fall towards the earth at the same rate that the earth
curves. This would cause the projectile to stay the same
height above the earth and to orbit in a circular path (such
as path C).
• And at even greater launch speeds, a cannonball would
once more orbit the earth, but now in an elliptical path (as
in path D). At every point along its trajectory, a satellite is
falling toward the earth. Yet because the earth curves, it
 So what launch speed does a satellite
need in order to orbit the earth?
• The answer emerges from a basic fact
about the curvature of the earth. For
every 8000 meters measured along the
horizon of the earth, the earth's surface
curves downward by approximately 5
meters.
• For this reason, a projectile launched horizontally
with a speed of about 8000 m/s will be capable of
orbiting the earth in a circular path.
• If shot with a speed greater than 8000 m/s, it
would orbit the earth in an elliptical path.
Elliptical Orbits of Satellites
PRACTICE